U.S. Men's Update: What's Next?

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 11, 2011) – A sixth-place finish at the FIVB World Cup means the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team still needs to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The team’s first opportunity to do this will come in May at the NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifier. The event site and exact dates have yet to be determined. Only the NORCECA winner would qualify.

Should the U.S. Men not qualify at NORCECA, then they would most likely be invited to one of three FIVB four-team qualifying tournaments to be held in Japan, Italy and Germany on June 8-10.

The 2012 Olympic Games will be July 27-Aug. 12. Indoor volleyball will be contested at Earls Court is in west London.

The U.S. Men will have a winter training block that will begin Feb. 27. The spring/summer block will begin in April as soon as the players return from their overseas teams.

NEW WORLD ORDER

An adjustment to the FIVB World Rankings has resulted in the U.S. Men dropping from fifth to sixth in the world.

The revised ranking come after the alteration of percentage points in continental championships (50 percent to 100 percent), the FIVB Volleyball World Championships (100 percent to 75 percent) and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (50 per cent to 25 percent). It also takes into account the results at the FIVB Volleyball World Cup 2011 in Japan.The new men’s volleyball top 10 is now

Brazil

Russia

Italy

Poland

Cuba

USA

Serbia

Argentina

Bulgaria

China

UPDATED TRANSFERS

Here are the updated men’s volleyball international transfers for 2012:

Adler, Matt

VBK WSL Klagenfurt

Austria

Ammerman, Ryan

Copra Volley Piacenza SRL

Italy

Anderson, Matthew

Pallavolo Modena SSDRL

Italy

Ball, Lloy

Ural Ufa

Russia

Billings, Brook

Istanbul BBSK

Turkey

Bittner II, Dean

VBK Tierp

Sweden

Bourne, Tri

Carolina Nuevos Gigantes

Puerto Rico

Brunner, Theodore

CMC Ravena

Italy

Budinger Jr., Duncan

Raision Loimu

Finland

Burik, Mark

Ok Miadost Marina Kastela

Croatia

Burrow, Ryan

VC Amstetten

Austria

Ching, Tony

Mayaguez Indios

Puerto Rico

Deimeke, Joseph

Evivo Dueren

Germany

Denmark, Matthew

VfB Friedrichshafen

Germany

Devany, Vincenzo

VC Gotha

Germany

Durbin, Patrick

Perungan Pojat

Finland

Dusharme, Mark

GAS Pamvochaikos

Greece

Dyer, Brennon

VBK WSL Klagenfurt

Austria

Einhorn, Austin

TSV Husum 1875 e.V.

Germany

Fabry, Daniel

VBK Tierp

Sweden

Friend, Kyle

TSV Giesen/48 Hildesheim

Germany

Gramit, Kyle

Falkenberg VBK

Sweden

Hansen, Kevin

Arkas Spor

Turkey

Hein, Andrew

Lausanne Universite Club

Switzerland

Hickerson, Bryce

ABC Titans Berg. Land

Germany

Holmes, Russell

KS Jastrzebski Wegiel SA

Poland

Holt, Maxwell

Copra Volley Piacenza SRL

Italy

Huberty, Ryan

UVC Ried/Innkreis

Austria

Jablonsky, Jayson

Saems Tourcoing VB

France

Kehoe Jr., Steven

Isku-Volley Tampere

Finland

Kellum, Daniel

Union Supervolley Enns

Austria

Klanac, John

RWE Volleys Bottrop

Germany

Klein, Joseph

Abiant Lycurgus

Netherlands

Kneubuhl, Isaac

VC Gotha

Germany

Lee, David

Dinamo Moscow

Russia

Lipsitz, Max

Mayaguez Indios

Puerto Rico

Lotman, Paul

Resovia SA Rzeszow

Poland

Masterson, Kyle

Waremme

Belgium

Mathews, Daniel

Chenois Volleyball Club

Switzerland

May, Timothy

Adjuntas Volleyball Club

Puerto Rico

McKibbin, Riley

Umbria Volley srl

Italy

McKienzie, David

Kuwait Sporting Club

Kuwait

McKniff, Kevin

Guaynabo Los Mets

Puerto Rico

Menzel, Jeffrey

C.V. Almeria

Spain

Millar, Ryan

Lokomotiv Nobosibirsk

Russia

Moore, Jacob

UVC Ried/Innkreis

Austria

Morice, Michael

Union Supervolley Enns

Austria

Muagututia, Garrett

Raision Loimu

Finland

Murray, Luke

Ponce Leones

Puerto Rico

Olree, Pieter

Al Ain Club

United Arab Emirates

Patak, Evan

Umbria Volley SRL

Italy

Patterson, Casey

Corozal Plataneros

Puerto Rico

Price, William

GFCO Ajaccio VB

France

Priddy, William

Zenit Kazan

Russia

Proper, Matthew

Naranjito Changos

Puerto Rico

Ptak, Jeffrey

Al Jazira

United Arab Emirates

Ptaschinski, Nick

TSV Giesen/48 Hildesheim

Germany

Ratajczak, Jacek

VC Gotha

Germany

Reinholm, Cole

VBK WSL Klagenfurt

Austria

Rester, Austin

Adjuntas Volleyball Club

Puerto Rico

Ribeiro, Mark

Mayaguez Indios

Puerto Rico

Riecks, Cory

TV Buhl

Germany

Riley, Joshua

VBK Tierp

Sweden

Romero, Evan

Lausanne Universite Club

Switzerland

Rooney, Sean

Gabeca Pallavolo SPA

Italy

Rosener, Jacob

Vingakers VK

Sweden

Salmon, Riley

Corozal Plataneros

Puerto Rico

Sauro, Michael

Oslo Volley

Norway

Schardt, Christopher

Orkelljunga VK

Sweden

Scheftic, Nick

VC Brixental

Austria

Scott, Damien

Guaynabo Los Mets

Puerto Rico

Scott, Jonathan

DJK Delbruck

Germany

Shoji, Kawika

SCC Berlin

Germany

Smith, David

Tours Volley-ball

France

Stafford, Ryan

Avignon VB

France

Stanley, Clayton

Ural Ufa

Russia

Stewart, Andrew

Lausanne Universite Club

Switzerland

Suxho, Donald

Volley Treviso S.P.A.

Italy

Tarr, Robert

AS Cannes VB

France

Thornton, Brian

KS Jastrzebski Wegiel SA

Poland

Toppel, Curt

AE Karava Lambousa

Cyprus

Touzinsky, Scott

Fajardo Cariduros

Puerto Rico

Troy, Murphy

Top Volley SRL

Italy

Vance, Eric

A.S. Orange Nassau

France

Varee, Jordan

Carolina Nuevos Gigantes

Puerto Rico

Walker, Joshua

Bani Yas

United Arab Emirates

Watten, Dustin

Raision Loimu

Finland

Webber, James

A.D. Club Voleibol Teruel

Spain

Werle, Matthew

Naranjito Changos

Puerto Rico

Wiens, Jacob

Abiant Lycurgus

Netherlands

Wilson, Taylor

Hylte VBK

Sweden

Winder, Jonathan

Saems Tourcoing VB

France

Wooldridge, Eric

Kokkolan Tiikerit

Finland

Yhost, Jason

Union Supervolley Enns

Austria

Yoder, Cory

Ponce Leones

Puerto Rico

Zahn, Austin

C.V. Almeria

Spain

Zornig, Jeff

VBK WSL Klagenfurt

Austria

ITALY

U.S. opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) has joined Italy’s Serie A League and is playing for Energy Resources San Giustino. He will be looking to improve the team’s standing from its current position in 13th place.

In the team’s 25-21, 25-20, 25-21 loss to Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia on Sunday (Jan. 8), Patak started all three sets and finished with nine points on eight kills (50 kill percent and .44 hitting efficiency) and one block. American Riley McKibbin (Honolulu, Hawaii) started the first two sets at setter for San Giustino.

Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) and his team Casa Modena sit in fourth place in the Italian league after a 24-26, 19-25, 25-20, 28-26, 18-16 defeat of M. Roma Volley on Sunday. Anderson led his team with 22 points on 17 kills (43 kill percent and .35 hitting efficiency) and five aces.

Sisley Belluno and U.S. setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) are in fifth place in the Italian league. They swept Andreoli Latina and U.S. opposite Murphy Troy (St. Louis, Mo.) on Sunday, 27-25, 25-23, 25-19.

Suxho started all three sets and had two points on two blocks and set his team to a 49.4 kill percent and a .45 hitting efficiency. Troy played as a substitute but did not score. Andreoli Latina is in ninth place in the league.

Holt started all five sets and scored six points on three kills, two blocks and one ace.

Next Sunday’s (Jan. 15) match between Rooney and Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza versus Fidia Padova can be seen live at 9 a.m. PT by visiting www.sportube.tv/onair/.

RUSSIA

Teams with U.S. players are leading both divisions of the Russian Super League.

Zenit Kazan with U.S. outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) leads the East division. Most recently the team defeated Fakel Novy Urengoi, 25-22, 25-18, 25-19 on Jan. 7. Priddy started all four sets and finished with nine points on nine attacks (52.9 kill percent and .47 hitting efficiency).

Dinamo Moscow with U.S. middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) leads the West division. Lee did not play in the team’s 3-0 victory on Jan. 7. But he did start all four sets of its 25-22, 25-18, 26-28, 25-22 win over Dinamo Krasnodar on Jan. 4. Lee finished with six points on four kills and two blocks.

U.S. opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) has left Ural Ufa to rehabilitate an injury in the United States. Setter Lloy Ball (Fort Wayne, Ind.) continues to play for Ufa, which fell to Lokomotiv Novosibirsk on Jan. 7, 27-25, 24-26, 25-22, 25-18.

Ball started all four sets and scored four points on one kill, one block and two aces. He also set his team to a 50.0 kill percent and a 0.448 hitting efficiency. U.S. middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) plays for Novosibirsk, but was not on the roster for the match. He has been playing in Novosibirsk’s CEV Champions League matches (see below).

POLAND

U.S. outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) and his Plus Liga team Asseco Resovia Rzeszów sit in third place in the Polish league with a 7-3 record, just ahead of fourth-place Jastrzębski Węgiel, which includes middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) and Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.).

The teams played their last regular-season matches in December. Since then, they have been competing in the Cup of Poland tournament. Both teams have advanced to the semifinals on Jan. 21 where Jastrzębski Węgiel will go up against league-leading ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle and Asseco Resovia Rzeszów will play PGE Skra Bełchatów, which is in second place in the league.

The teams played each other on Dec. 17 with Jastrzębski Węgiel winning, 25-15, 25-13, 16-25, 26-24. Holmes started all four sets for the winner, scoring seven points on three kills, three blocks and one ace. Thornton played as a substitute. Lotman started the first set for his team and scored one point on one attack. To view a photo gallery of the match, click here.

The following week, on Dec. 29, Asseco Resovia Rzeszów swept Indykpol AZS UWM Olsztyn, 25-19, 25-15, 25-15. Lotman started all three sets and scored seven points on four attacks, one block and two aces.

On Dec. 30, Jastrzębski Węgiel defeated Tytan AZS Częstochowa, 25-19, 25-15, 25-22. Holmes started all three sets and scored six points on four kills, one block and one ace. Thornton started all three sets and scored one point with an ace. He set the team to a 51.6 kill percent and a .371 hitting efficiency. To view a photo gallery of the match, click here.

TURKEY

U.S. setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) and his Turkish team Arkas Spor sit in third place in the league.

Most recently, the team swept Çankaya Belediyesi Anka, 25-17, 25-22, 25-21 on Jan. 7. Hansen started all three sets, scoring two points on two blocks. He also set the team to a 45.3 kill percent and a .372 hitting efficiency.

PUERTO RICO

The Puerto Rican men’s league has reached its finals where Scott Touzinsky (St. Louis, Mo.) and Cariduros de Fajardo are playing Patriotes de Lares. Fajardo is up 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

Fajardo won the first match on Jan. 3, 25-20, 25-21, 25-22. Touzinsky started all three sets and scored six points on five attacks and one block.

Fajardo won the second match on Jan. 7, 28-30, 25-20, 22-25, 25-21, 25-13. Touzinsky started all five sets and scored 20 points on 17 kills, and three blocks.

FRANCE

U.S. middle blocker David Smith (Saugus, Calif.) and Tours are in second place in the French league. On Jan. 7 Tours defeated Lyon, 25-18, 25-17, 25-18. Smith started the third set of the match but did not score.

Tourcoing, which includes U.S. setter Jonathan Winder (Irvine, Calif.) and outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.), is in fifth place in the league.

Most recently, Tourcoing defeated Paris, 25-23, 16-25, 17-25, 25-16, 16-14. Jablonsky started all five sets scoring 10 points. Winder started the third set and played in two others but did not score.

SWITZERLAND

U.S. coach Shawn Patchell is the head coach for the Lausanne University Club in the Swiss league and has three U.S. players on his team: middle blocker Andy Hein (Carol Stream, Ill.), outside hitter Andrew Stewart (Sandy, Utah) and opposite Evan Romero (Miami Lakes, Fla.).

Lausanne is in sixth place in its league.

After falling to Lotman and Asseco Resovia Rzeszów in the CEV Cup, the Lausanne University Club has moved on to the Challenge Cup, where it will play Austria’s Hypo Nö Amstetten and U.S. outside hitter Ryan Burrow (Racine, Wis.) on Jan. 11.

EUROPEAN CUPS

Priddy and Zenit Kazan are 4-0 in Pool B of the Champions League and will play Romania’s Remat Zalau on Jan. 11 at 8 a.m. PT.

U.S. middle blocker Matt Denmark (Edmond, Okla.) and the German team VfB Friedrichshafen are 4-1 in Pool B of the Champions League. They will play Priddy and Kazan in their final Champions League pool play match on Jan. 18.

Millar and Lokomotiv Novosibirsk will are 3-1 in Pool E of the Champions League. They will play Austria’s Hypo Tirol Innsbruck at 11:40 a.m. on Jan. 12.

Smith and Tours are 3-1 in Pool F of the Champions League. They will play Poland’s PGE Skra Belchatow at 11:30 a.m. PT on Jan. 12.